Vegetarian pot pie

Ingredients :

• Puff pastry sheets - 1
• Carrots, medium size, cut into small pieces - 1
• Celery, medium size, cut into small pieces  - 2
• Mushroom, cut into small pieces  - 8 to 10
• Potatoes, medium size, cut into small pieces  - 1
• Shallots, cut into small pieces  - 4 to 5
• Heavy cream - 1/2 cup
• Corn flour - 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method :

Put a pot on medium heat and add oil to it.

Stir in carrots, celery, mushroom, potatoes and shallots together. Let it cook for 7 mins and then stir in flour, water, cream, salt and pepper. Simmer until mixture thickens.

Preheat oven to 425 F. 

Line the  edge of ramekins with puff pastry strips, cut from puff pastry sheets.

Fill with the vegetable mixture. Cover the top with pastry sheets and seal with a fork. 

Bake for 20 mins. Vegetable pot pie is ready. Enjoy.

Baked shell and cheese pasta

Preparation time : 5 mins + time to boil pasta
Cooking time : 40 mins
Complexity : Medium
Servings : 5

Ingredients :

• Pasta- shell or macaroni - 8 oz
• Broccoli florets - 8 oz
• Onion, chopped finely - 1/6 cup
• Vegetarian broth - 1/3 cup
• All purpose flour - 1/6 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Bread crumbs - 1/6 cup
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Cheddar, sharp (fat free or reduced fat) - 5 oz
• Parmesan cheese, grated - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Fat free or skim milk - 1 1/2 cup

Method :

Cook pasta according to package direction with salt. 

Meanwhile steam broccoli florets and put them aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Put a large and heavy pan on medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and cook for 2 mins, add flour and cook until it turns a little brown. 

Add milk and vegetable broth and stir it to mix well, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to boil. Cook until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Put salt and pepper.

Once the sauce is thick, take it out from heat and add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Add more salt and pepper as per ones taste, add cooked pasta and broccoli and mix well.

Grease two 8" baking sheets with vegetable oil or butter. Pour cooked pasta with sauce into baking dishes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. 

Bake for 15-20 mins, then broil for another minute or two. Bakes pasta is ready. Serve it hot. Enjoy.

Baked rigatoni in spinach and kale pesto

Prep time - 10 mins + time to cook pasta
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 4

Ingredients :-

• Rigatoni pasta - 227 gms
• Grape tomatoes, cut in halves - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp

For pesto :

• Baby spinach - 2 cup
• Kale - 1 cup
• Almonds - 1/4 cup
• Parmesan cheese, grated - 1/2 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Grind all the ingredients of pesto sauce in to smooth paste.
Boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and put tomatoes in it. Mix pesto sauce and put pasta into oven safe pan. Top pasta with parmesan cheese and put in oven for 15 minutes.

Take it out from oven and serve hot. Enjoy.

Penne pasta in smoking red pepper sauce

Prep time - 10 mins + time to roast bell pepper (30 min)
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• Penne pasta or any pasta - 200 gm
• Red bell pepper - 2, medium size
• Onion, finally chopped - 1/2 medium size
• Garlic, finally chopped - 1 clove
• Heavy cream - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Ground black pepper - 1 tsp
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Roasting red pepper :

Preheat oven to 500 F. Cut red bell pepper in 4 equal pieces. Remove seeds and membrane. Line up the cut bell pepper skin side up on oven safe dish and bake them for 30 mins or until the skin side gets all wrinkly.

Take bell pepper out from oven and let them cool for 20-25 mins then remove the skin and put roasted bell pepper slices aside.

Pasta recipe :

Prepare pasta with salt according to package instruction. Drain it and put it aside.

Put a medium size pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan and put cut onion and garlic to the oil. Fry onion and garlic until they become translucent, for 3-4 mins. Now add roasted bell pepper to the pan. Fry for another 3-4 mins.

Turn off the gas and add this mixture to the blender and make a smooth paste.

Put pan again on medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil to it. Add bell pepper and onion paste to the pan. Put salt and pepper to the paste. Add 1/4 cup of water to the paste and let the mixture heat for 3-4 mins and then add heavy cream to the paste (you can increase the amount of cream mentioned to get more rich taste). Let it heat for another 2-3 mins. Red pepper sauce is ready. Add pasta to the sauce and mix everything together so pasta is well coated with the sauce.

Take pasta out in a plate and sprinkle it with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Eggplant sandwich

Prep time - 20-25 mins
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• French baguette or ciabatta breat - 4 slices
• Eggplant, large size, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds - 1
• Tomato, cut into slices - 1 medium size ( 4 slices )
• Avocado, cut into slices - 1  
• Bread crumbs - 1/2 bowl
• Egg beaten - 1
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method :-

Wrap baguette/ciabatta in a wet paper towel and put it in fridge for an hour. It will make the outer crust of bread a little soft.

Dip the eggplant slices in beaten egg (let any excess drip off), followed by the bread crumbs.

You can cook these eggplant slices in two ways :

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices from one side until it turns golden brown then flip it and cook it from the other side. Approx 4-5 mins. Sprinkle the slices with salt and pepper.  
2. Or, broil the eggplant slices in oven for 10 mins. Turn the slices in between.

Cut baguette/ciabatta into 3 inches long pieces. Cut each piece half, lengthwise. Now put a non stick pan on medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Once its hot, toast the baguette/ciabatta, inner side first. Flip baguette/ciabatta once inner side is crisp and let outer side of baguette/ciabatta turn crisp.

Take one piece of baguette/ciabatta. Put 1 slice of cooked eggplant, following with a slice of tomato and 2-3 slices of avocados.

Cover the baguette with another half. Repeat the process for rest of the sandwiches. Enjoy.

Zucchini kofte

Prep time - 15-20 mins
Cooking time - 40-45 mins
Complexity - Medium
Servings - for 4

Ingredients :-

For Kofta :

• Grated zucchini - 1/2 cup
• Gram flour - 7 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil - for deep frying

For Gravy :

• Green chillies - 2
• Onion paste (use mixer or grinder to make paste) - 1 medium size onion
• Tomato - 1 1/2, thinly sliced
• Salt - 1 tsp (you can increase or decrease salt acc to your taste)
• Minced ginger - 1 tsp
• Minced garlic - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil/ vegetable oil - 2 tbsp 

Method :-

For kofta :

Put oil in a heavy bottom pot and put it on medium heat. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients except oil.

Once oil is hot, take a spoonful of kofta mixture and put in it the hot oil for deep frying. Repeat this process until all the mixture is used. Depending on the oil, you can put 5-6 kofte in one go.

Keep turning the sides so that kofte can be cooked properly from all the sides.

Once golden red from all the sides, take out all the kofte. Kofte are ready.

For gravy :

Put oil in a heavy bottom pan and put it on medium heat. Once it is hot, put ginger and garlic. After 2-3 mins, when ginger and garlic are turned slightly red, add onion paste to it. Let onion cook for another 10-12 mins (or till the raw smell of onion is gone and oil is getting separated from the paste). Add tomato, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, green chillies and salt. Mix properly and let it cook for another 7-8 mins till oil gets separated from the paste. Once its done, add 1 1/2 cup water to it. Let it cook for another ten mins or till the water starts boiling. Gravy is ready.

Whenever you are ready to serve the curry, just add kofte to gravy and heat it for 5 mins. Do not put kofte to the gravy well in advance otherwise kofte will soak up most of the gravy and you will be
left with drier curry. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Enjoy Kofte with plain white rice or jeera rice or chapati.

Grilled vegetable sandwich

Prep time - 20-25 mins
Cooking time - 5 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• French baguette - 1 
• Red bell pepper, seeds removed, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• Green bell pepper, seeds removed, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• Red onion, julienned- 1/2 medium size
• Zucchini, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• White button mushroom, stem cut - 6-7
• Lettuce, thinly cut - 1/2 bowl 
• Tomato, cut into slices - 1 medium size
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Italian dressing - 7-8 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method :-

Wrap baguette in a wet paper towel and put it in fridge for an hour. It will make the outer crust of bread a little soft.

Put a pan on medium heat and add bell peppers and onions. Drizzle bell peppers with 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them cook until they are soft, approx 5-7 mins. Remove from pan and cut cooked mushroom into slices once they are cool.

Remove bell pepper from pan and add zucchini and mushrooms to the pan and drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them cook for 5-7 mins.

Cut baguette into 3 inches long pieces. Cut each piece half, lengthwise. Now put a non stick pan on medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Once its hot, toast the baguette, inner side first. Flip baguette once inner side is crisp and let outer side of baguette turn crisp.

Put 3-4 tbsp of dressing into lettuce and mix in such a way that lettuce is coated properly.

Take one piece of baguette. Put 1 tsp of dressing on each side, following with bell pepper and onion mixture. Add tomato slice on top of bell pepper mixture. Put zucchini and mushroom mixture next and finish the layering with lettuce. Cover the baguette with another half. Repeat the process for rest of the sandwiches. Enjoy.

Crispy spaghetti

 

Prep time - 25 mins
Cooking time - 10 mins
Complexity - Easy
Servings -2

Ingredients :-

• Spaghetti pasta, boiled - 2 cups
• Zucchini -  1/2 cup
• Onion, chopped - 1, medium size
• Shredded Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup
• Garlic, chopped - 2 cloves
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tbsp  + 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp

Method :-

Boil pasta according to package direction with 1tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of salt. Keep it aside in a bowl.

Put a pan on medium heat with 1tsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add chopped onion and garlic to it. Put  1 tsp salt and black pepper powder. Cover the pan with lid and let onions cook for 3-4 mins or until translucent.

Put shredded zucchini, parmesan cheese  and cooked onion to the spaghetti bowl and toss everything together.

 

Now put a nonstick pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil to it. Once oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of spaghetti, zucchini mixture to the bottom of the pan.

Let the pasta cook for 2 -3 minutes from one side or until it gets brown. Flip it over and cook for another 2-3 mins from the other side.

 

Crispy spaghetti is ready.

Burrito bowl

Prep time - Overnight ( 30 mins if using canned black beans )

Cooking time - 1 hr  
Complexity - Easy
Servings - For 2

Ingredients :-

• Black beans - 1 1/2 cup
• Chilli sauce - 2 tsp
• Tomato - 1 medium size, thinly cubed
• Boiled corn (optional) - 1/2 cup
• Sour cream - 4 tbsp
• Guacamole (optional) - 4tbsp (find recipe here  http://tryyourowntaste.blogspot.com/2013/07/guacamole.html )
• Salt - according to taste
• Cooked/boiled white rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Lettuce (optional) - 1/2 cup

For Fajita :

• Green bell pepper - 1 medium size, Cut lengthwise
• Onion - 1/2 medium size, cut lengthwise
• Olive oil / Vegetable oil - 2tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Method :-

Soak black beans in water overnight ( if not using canned). Add 4 cups water, salt and beans in pressure cooker. Pressure cooker beans till 4-5 whistles on medium heat (If beans aren't done, put them back on cooker and cook for 1 or 2 more whistles). Once beans are done, take them out. Let 1/2 cup boiled black water with beans and drain all the extra water ( you can use this water for making soup or use it instead of water for making chapati ).

You do not need to do all this if using canned beans.

For Fajita :

Put a pan on medium heat and add oil to it. Add green bell pepper, onion, salt and black pepper. Let them cook for 5 mins. Bell pepper should remain crispy. Take bell pepper, onions out in a plate.

Fajita for burrito bowl is ready.

Put 1/2 of the cooked/boiled rice in one plate. Put 1/2 of the beans with half of the black bean water on top of rice. Add half of the fajita.

Top this with tomato, lettuce, corn, guacamole and sour cream. Add chilli sauce. Your burrito bowl is ready. You can prepare the other bowl/plate in same way. Enjoy

Idli Manchurian

Prep time - 10 mins
Cooking time - 20 mins
Complexity - Easy
Servings - For 2

Ingredients :-

• Idlis - 4 (You can buy it from Indian restaurant or make it at home)
• Green bell pepper - 1 medium size, cut lengthwise
• Onion - 1/2 medium size, cut lengthwise
• Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
• Chilli sauce - 1 tbsp
• Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
• Corn starch - 1 tbsp
• Salt -according to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Ginger - half spoon minced
• Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
• Vegetable oil or olive oil - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Put a pan on medium heat, and heat the oil. Add ginger and garlic to oil.

Once ginger and garlic starts turning a bit red, add onion and bell pepper. Add salt. Let it cook for 5-7 mins. Do not let bell peppers to get tender. It should remain crispy. Add soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato sauce and sugar. Add 1/4 cup water to cornstarch, and put this mixture to the pan. Mix it all together, and add 1/2 cup water. Let it boil for another 5-7 mins, and then switch off the gas.

Gravy for idli manchurian is ready.
Microwave idlis for 1 min and arrange it on a plate. Put manchurian gravy over idlis. Serve it hot.

Veggie Wrap

Prep time - 10 mins
Complexity - Easy
Servings - 2

Ingredients :-

• Tortilla wraps - 2
• Sour cream - 4 tbs
• Guacamole - 4 tbs (Find recipe of guacamole here http://tryyourowntaste.blogspot.com/2013/07/guacamole.html )
• Cucumber - 1/2  (If using long cucumber)
• Tomato - 1 (medium size)

You can add vegetables of your choice like lettuce, olives, spinach, grated carrots, onions. 

I have used classic wrap. You can use spinach wrap or whole wheat. Its totally up to you.

Method :-

Cut all the vegetables. I have always faced difficulty while eating burgers and wraps because of the size of vegetables. They just keep falling out of my wrap that is why I have cut vegetables in small sizes.

Put one tortilla wrap in microwave for 20 sec. Take it out and lay it on a flat surface. Put two tbs of guacamole at the center and spread it out a little. Now put 2 two tbs of sour cream on top of guacamole and spread like you did earlier. Add cucumber, tomatoes and whatever vegetables you are using on top of cream.

Fold it like its shown in the picture. 

    

 Cut it in two halves or have it like a single roll. They taste great when chilled for an hour or so. You can take it to your Office for lunch. Put it in fridge. Take it out when you are ready to eat. Enjoy.